Engraving machine



p 1941- v E. A. COOKE 2,255,698

- ENGRAVING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1

H3 J2I V Fl L I lnventur E.P\.COOKE A homey P 9, 1941- Y E. A. cooKE 2,255,698

' ENGRAVING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 4.

LI V I F F 6 EALOOKE A Home;

Inventorholder.

Patented Sept. 9, 1941 2,255,698 ENGRAVING MACHINE,

Ernest Albert Cooke, Leicester, England, assignor to Kapella Limited, Leicester, England, a company of Great Britain Application October 25, 1939, Serial No. 301,292

In Great Britain October 20, 1938 8 Claims.

This invention relates to engraving machines of the kind in which the desired engraving, comprising lettering or other impressions which can be built up from standard elements arranged in ordered sequence, is obtained by scale reproduction from copy arranged in a copyholder. Hitherto copy has usually comprised small thin metal plates,,each embodying a letter or other character and having two bevelled edges engaging in a dovetailed groove in the copy- Such an arrangement involves not only the use of relatively expensive material, such as steel or brass, for the copy in order to provide adequate strength and durability in thin strips, but also relatively high manufacturing costs owing to the necessity of milling the bevels on the copy and the dovetailed groove or grooves in the copyholder.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved copyholder comprising a pair of parallel guides one of which is plane and oblique to the operative surface of the copy Whilst the second may also be a plane surface or may be convexly curved or otherwise shaped in section to give line contact with the copy elements.

In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 2 show one example of copy holder according to the invention in plan and side elevation respectively,

Figure 3 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 1,

Figure 4 illustrates in plan a modified form of copyholder, V

Figure 5 is a section on the line VV of Figure 4,

Figures 6, '7 and 8 show respectively three further arrangements of the guide surfaces for the copy elements, and

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate two preferred forms of copy element.

In the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 the copyholder consists of a horizontal framework G carried by means of a socket member G engaging a vertical rod G to which it can be clamped, by a grub screw G in any desired rotational position, the rod G being clamped in any desired position of adjustment on the engraving machine indicated generally at G To this end the rod G is locked in the desired longitudinal position of adjustment in a carrier G by means of a grub screw G the carrier G being in turn locked in the desired position of adjustment along a guide G" by a ball handle G The horizontal framework G comprises horizontal bars H rigidly held together by cross-connections H H the cross-connections I-I carrying the socket member G There are thus formed between the bars H channels H for the reception of copy elements F of right-angled triangular section. Within each channel H and to one side thereof a guide rod J of circular section extends from end to end, each rod J being secured to the framework G by studs J so that the rod lies in one corner of the corresponding channel H and provides an unobstructed cylindrical guide surface for the copy elements. The opposite face H of the channel is machined to provide a vertical plane guide surface of sufficient height to constitute an abutment for one of the equal faces F, F of the copy element. The spacing between each rod J and the associated plane guide surface H which are made accurately parallel to one another, is chosen to suit the size of the copy elements so that these can be dropped into the channel H and will rest therein eachwith its hypotenuse face bearing on the rod J and making a line contact therewith, and its face F lying flat against the corresponding guide surface H The remaining faces F of the copy elements will thus lie horizontally in proper alignment with one another and just above the top surface of the framework G as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. The copy elements are held against longitudinal displacement by means of end clamps J on the rods, spacers (not shown) being inserted between the copy elements if desired.

In the modified arrangement shown in Figures 4 and 5 the copy holder is adapted to support copy elements of equilateral triangular section, that is to say having three equal faces F F F The framework G is provided with two channels F each having two machined plane guide surfaces F, F, inclined to each other in accordance with the angle of the copy element. The elements are held against longitudinal displacement by end blocks L each of which fits into the slot formed between the guide surfaces F, F and has a slightly convex surface for engagingi the adjacent copy element, as clearly shown in Figure 4. Each block L has a central aperture through which freely extends the screwed spindle of a knurled locking head L the said spindle'engaging a corresponding threaded hole in a squared nut L lying within a widened passage L extending along the bottom of the slot F Thus, by releasing the locking heads L the blocks L can be longitudinally adjusted along the slots F and relocked in the position of adjustment.

It will be appreciated that the above arrangements may be modified in various ways. For expriate character or characters.

*GlGll'iBIlfiSiOf rightaangled isosceles section, one:

ample, with a copy element of right-angled triangular section, the second guide surface may be Y constituted by a convex surface, for example as shown at K in Figure 6 to give line contact with the hypotenuse face of each copy element. In Figure 7 the guide K is constituted by, the edge between two surfaces K K the surface K? being parallel 'to the guide'surface H whilst'the surface K? is horizontal and lies at a level somewhat below the top surface of the framework G.

In Figure 8, the first guide surface H is inclinedto the horizontal whilst thesecond guide; is provided by the angle'H formed inthe framework so as to give line contact with tl'le cooperating faces of the copy elements. "The use of anequi lateral triangular section has the advantages of other .material suchas synthetic resin, or partly of metal and partly .ofsuch. other material. They may be. manufactured ma variety of ways. Thus, for example, blanks for the elements may beproduced by cutting appropriate lengths from extruded 'rod'or'tube of the .desired triangular section, such blanks havingformed on them, for example by engraving or stamping, the appro- In the case of example of which is shown'in Figure 9, the two equal'faces .F, FPmay bear identical characters orsimilar characters of different size, or different characters, forexample the same letter in capital and inlower case. .In Figure 10 each copy, element has an equilateral triangular sec-' tion which affords 'threeface's F F and F for bearing characters. a

. Instead of forming the copy elements by cutting appropriate lengths from and or tube of the desired triangular section the elements may bemade, individually or in the form of rods or tubes for subsequent cutting, by pressing or casting or moulding or rolling, and'inthis case it will often be convenientto impress the character or characters. on the elements during the manufacturing process. The methodzoi manufacture.

will 'be chosen to suitgthe material used. Itmay bejconvenient in some instances to embody each character on asmall-thin plate; for example of metal, such plate then being. incorporatedby a moulding fprocess in a :block of, say, synthetic resin of the appropriate'sectional shape. I i It will be appreciated thatby such methods of manufacture it is possible to produce copy'economically in large quantities in a form which will notonly'be convenientato use but willalso be robust enough to withstand the stresses of handling and ofi'use in the machine. i r

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

1. A copyholder for an engraving machine, comprising a support carrying two laterally spaced guides upon and between which the copy rests, one of said guides having a plane supporting surface which makes plane surface contact with the copy whilst the second guide has a curved supporting surface which makes line contact with the copy.

"2. A copy-holder as claimed in claim 1, in

which the second guide is constituted by a cylinbeing somewhat less susceptible'to'raccidental.displacement and of aifording three faces for bear-'- I ing characters. 'The copy elements may be made of metal or of drical part mounted on the support.

' 1 v3.145.-copyl 1 older as claimed. in claim 1, in '15.

which the second guide'is constituted by 'a convexly curved part of the support.

4. For. use in engraving machines, a copy as-- sembly comprising, in combination, a support carrying two laterally spaced guides, and at least one copy element of triangular cross-section resting .upon' and between the guides which respectively make plane surface contact with two faces of. the copy element.

.5. For use in engraving machines, a copy assembly comprising, in combination, a support carrying twolaterally. spaced, guides, and at least one copy element of triangular section resting upon and between the guides, one of which makes a plane surface contact with one face'of the' copy element whilst the second guide makes 1 a line contact with anotherfaceof the copy element.

6;;E0r usein engraving machines, a copy assembly comprising in combination, a support carrying two guides in fixed lateral spaced relationship, at least one of the guides being constituted, by-a plane. surface, and at least one copy element freely. resting .upon and between the guides and having aplane surface engaging with the plane guidesurface and inclined'to the operative surface .of the element. -7:. A copyholder for an engraving machine,

comprising a support carrying two laterally spaced guides, upon and between which thecopy another at at least threenon-collinear points in a plane inclined to the operative surface of the copy element, whilst "the other guide and the copy element engage with one another at at least one point. 1

' v ERNEST ALBERT COOKE. 

